Reaping the Souls of the Cursed
by ellf
Summary: One of the few Bleach and Ranma crossovers out there, this casts Nodoka as a Quincy and Ranma as a ShinigamiQuincy mix.
1. Prologue: Introspective

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Reaping the Souls of the Cursed

By: Ellf

Prologue: Introspective

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Disclaimer: If I owned either Ranma or Bleach, why would I be writing this?

Soul Society's morning air was crisp, clean and full of anticipation. The Captains and Vice-Captains of the Gotei were all gathered around the Court of Pure Souls Central office. A judgment was about to be released.

"Vice-Captain Shihouin Ranma, step forward." The voice of the head of Central rang out. The Shinigami in question walked up from his standing next to the Captain-Commander, Yamamoto Genryuusai Shigekuni. Dressed like a typical Shinigami, Ranma had his hair tied up in a pigtail that went down to the center of his back, and his Zanpakutoh sits in a sheath at his side. "Vice-Captain, your judgment for your crime has been decided. Though this crime in of itself did not harm Soul Society for the time being, it had the potential to do great harm to the balance between the worlds."

Bowing his head, Ranma replied, "I understand, Director."

They weren't finished yet. "Shihouin Ranma, you have been judged guilty and will now be sentenced. For your past usefulness, we will not give you the Death Sentence; instead we shall send you to Earth for an indeterminate amount of time. Eventually you may be allowed back into Seireitei, but for now, you will be on Earth."

Ranma did not look surprised at his sentence and bowed his head. "Understood."

"Feel free to do your normal Shinigami duties while on Earth, but you will be limited just as all Vice-Captains and Captains are. Your escort to earth will be Aizen Sousuke, after which he will take away your Hell Butterfly to prevent you from getting back here."

Captain Aizen walked up to stand next to Ranma. "Well, Vice-Captain, shall we go?"

Nodding Ranma opened the portal to Earth, and stepped through, followed shortly by Captain Aizen.

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The portal opened up in a city and out stepped the two Shinigami, Captain Aizen and Ranma. The buildings here were taller than in Soul Society, and unlike in Seireitei it was night here.

"Where are we, Captain Aizen?" Ranma looked at the glasses-wearing Captain.

"Earth, of course. More specifically, we're in Tokyo, the Karakura Town area to be precise. And this is where I leave you." Aizen snatched something that was floating around Ranma. "You can't have this with you, now can you? Your Hell Butterfly would be awkward to leave with you. After all, we can't have you returning to Soul Society."

Ranma turned and faced the city from the rooftop they were standing on. It seemed oddly appropriate that here was where he would face his sentence. After what he had gone through, he had hoped for the death penalty. It seemed that someone up there hated him. Captain Aizen turned around and began to walk through the portal, saying something before he left. "You, of all my experiments, had the most success; it's a pity you won't be there for the destruction of Soul Society." The portal closed behind him, leaving Ranma there on the rooftop to contemplate in silence.

The destruction of Soul Society? Was that what Aizen was after? Why hadn't he seen it before? Ranma thought of Soul Society, and how he could possibly get back to stop Aizen. There was nothing he could do in this situation; Aizen had made sure of that. His oh so heinous crime that he had committed was slightly the fault of Aizen, only because he made an idle suggestion. No. He would take responsibility for his actions. He had gone into Hueco Mundo knowing full well what would happen. It was only luck that he had managed to prevent that Menos from escaping into Soul Society. He had to use Hoshimaru's Bankai in order to do it too. He deserved his punishment and anything that came with it.

Ranma sat on that rooftop for hours, just thinking, wallowing in his own guilt over his crime. A couple of times he thought of committing seppuku, but he knew that even that would not excuse him of his sin.

Only able to take so much of his own self pity, Ranma decided that he would do his best to atone for his sin by taking out as many Hollows as possible. It was at that moment he heard the woman's scream, followed by that damnable roar. Looking down from the roof, he saw it and its prey. The Hollow was insect-like in shape, having six legs and three body parts, but way too large. Its mask-covered face let out another roar before looking at its prey once more. Its prey was a rather pretty chestnut-haired young woman, maybe in her twenties, wearing a kimono.

_Well, time to go to work._

The Hollow pinned the woman down with one of its legs, and was about to begin its feast on her soul. Hearing a slashing sound, the Hollow cried out in pain two seconds later as its leg wasn't there any more. Ranma turned to the lady, "Are you alright Miss?" After seeing her nod, he confirmed why the Hollow was after her. "Stay here, it'll be alright."

Ranma leapt into the fray again as the Hollow swung another of its legs at him.

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Nodoka Saotome was elated. Her husband Genma was so manly! Manly enough to get her pregnant on their first try. That Isshin Kurosaki was a wonderful physician, and his wife Masaki was friendly enough that they made her visit fly by.

However that elation only lasted a short while as she noticed a familiar shimmer in the air.

"Keh heh heh, I smell something delightfully tasty." The voice was male, but one couldn't really tell with Hollows. "A meal made of Quincy would be beautiful."

Normally this wouldn't be too much of a problem for Nodoka, but she had the baby too worry about. She was unsure as to how the Quincy abilities she had would affect her unborn child. It was entirely possible that she would draw too much energy and end up taking some of her child's Reiatsu as well.

Having no other choice, Nodoka turned and ran. Maybe she could lose this Hollow to some passing Shinigami or something. Either that or she could get to her father's house. Unfortunately, like all Hollows, this one was fast.

"Where are you going, Quincy? Are you scared of me?" The Hollow followed closely behind her, dead set on having her for a meal. Nodoka was genuinely scared and let out a shriek that would make any schoolgirl proud, only to be drowned out by the roar of the Hollow that followed her.

Running in a Kimono is remarkably hard, and though Nodoka had done it before, this time she wasn't able to fight back. The Hollow quickly caught up to her and pinned her down with one of its legs. Damnable Hollow, if it weren't for her child... She screamed again.

Suddenly, one of its legs came off, bleeding that horrible color blood that Hollows all bleed. A young man, dressed in a black hakama and holding a katana was standing in between her and the Hollow. Nodoka gasped. This man was a Shinigami, one of the slayers of her kind. Her sensei said to her that they had good reason, but her former betrothed disliked them. At the moment she was just thanking all the Kami she could think of that this Shinigami appeared.

"Are you alright, Miss?" The Shinigami asked and Nodoka nodded, still in awe that she was being saved by what she had thought was her enemy. "Stay here, it'll be alright."

Then the Hollow swung one of its other legs at the Shinigami, who dodged it quickly. Using his Zanpakutoh to deflect the legs, he slashed at the Hollow's mask, but only managed to slash air.

"Oooh, Shinigami, you almost hit me with that one." The Hollow's haunting voice resounded throughout the area. The Shinigami then obviously noticed an opening, one that Nodoka herself noticed, and he slashed the Hollow's mask, leaving a scratch. Hearing the Hollow's cry of pain, Nodoka felt some small satisfaction. Any pain to a Hollow, whether caused by herself or others was good pain.

"Shinigami! Try once more!"

"What do ya think I'm tryin' to do, lady?" The Shinigami seemed to be a bit annoyed. "I can't believe I'm going to have to do this."

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Ranma was panting heavily; this Hollow was tougher than usual. Or was it that he was weaker? Either way, he needed to end this fight. The woman should have ran by now, but she was still here.

"Shinigami! Try once more!" Great, the woman knew what he was, and here he was without his memory lighter.

"What do ya think I'm tryin' to do, lady?" No other choice. "I can't believe I'm going to have to do this." Raising his sword at the Hollow, he smirked.

"Ah, Shinigami... What are you going to do? You're tiring. I'll allow you a few last words before I dine on this feast."

"Fine then. Shine, Hoshimaru." His Zanpakutoh began to glow a brilliant gold. As he swung the sword at the Hollow, an arc of golden light came out of the sword, cutting through the Hollow's mask, purifying it in an instant.

"Sugoi! That was amazing!" The woman looked at him, starry-eyed. "You are so... so... manly!"

Ranma sweatdropped. He allowed his Shikai to dissipate, and he sheathed Hoshimaru. Glancing over the woman, he breathed a sigh of relief. She was alright. Though her face was paling quickly. He shuddered as he felt the reiatsu of four strong Hollows. "Oh... shit... Get behind me, quick!"

The woman did get behind him, though the four Hollows surrounded them as they materialized from Hueco Mundo.

"Um... Shinigami... we're in trouble aren't we?"

"It would seem so, lady. Call me Ranma, Miss."

"Nodoka, Saotome Nodoka."

"Alright, Nodoka-san. You can see me, but that doesn't mean much but explain that they are after your high reiatsu."

"I'm a Quincy, Ranma-san."

"A Quincy? Why didn't you defeat that Hollow yourself then?"

"I'm... I'm pregnant."

Nodding as if that explained everything, Ranma released his Shikai once more. Launching a wave of light at the nearest Hollow, he managed to push it back some. "Damn, I wish I wasn't so... limited."

Suddenly, an arrow of reiatsu struck one of the Hollows in its mask, causing it to evaporate immediately, and a firecracker landed inside one of the Hollows' mouth. The firecracker exploded, taking with it the Hollow. Two figures jumped out beside Nodoka, one a diminutive, bald old man with a pipe, the other another old man who was about a foot shorter than Nodoka, armed with a bow made of reiatsu.

"Ishida-sensei, Happosai-sensei!"

"Well, well, No-chan, it seems you have gotten yourself in a little mess. I can't stand it when pretty ladies are in danger. Of course I'll have you reward me later for saving you."

"Happi! Leave my student alone, and let's deal with the Hollows."

The two older men quickly engaged in the battle, the smaller moving around quickly and the larger shooting arrows at the larger Hollow.

"Right, two left. Shinigami! Your name and rank!" Ranma looked at the old man inquisitively as he dodged a Hollow strike. "Quickly, child!"

"Shihouin Ranma, Former Vice-Captain of the first division." Ranma answered as he panted out

"Former? Never mind that, Ranma m'boy can you take out these Hollows if Ishida and I distract them?" Happosai leaped around the Hollow's melee strikes like a Mexican jumping bean.

The smaller Hollow launched a ball of tainted reiatsu at Ranma who deflected it with a shot from his Zanpakutoh. "I think I can if I get a well timed strike. Ishida-san, can you hit the smaller one while this erm... person and I take the larger one?"

Ishida-san nodded and took aim.

Ranma put his palm up at the smaller Hollow. "Shot of Blue Fire!" The blue fireball engulfed the smaller Hollow, doing barely any damage to it, but it did give Ishida-san time to let off his arrow, driving deep into the Hollow's mask.

Happosai quickly got to work on the larger Hollow. "Happodaikarin!" The small firecrackers had amazingly large explosions, causing the Hollow to cry out in pain. "Now, Ranma!"

Ranma launched his attack at the Hollow while it was distracted by the Happodaikarin, and was able to purify it instantly. Panting heavily, Ranma sheathed his sword once more. Happosai and Ishida-san were in a similar condition. Yet another roar resounded through the area. "What is this? Night of the living Hollow?"

An arrow arced through the air, striking the materializing Hollow behind the trio. They then looked over to see Nodoka, armed with her Spirit Bow, collapse.

Ranma rushed over to the woman to check if she was alright. Happosai and Ishida-san had already gotten there.

"Why'd she collapse?" Ranma asked. He looked at the two men as if they might know something. He wasn't on the medical squad in Soul Society, thus he didn't know anything about what might be going on.

Happosai and Ishida-san began to examine Nodoka's body. "Her reiatsu seems to be normal; she shouldn't have collapsed like that from just using her spirit bow."

"Ishida, as usual, you only see half of the picture. That spirit bow wasn't only reiatsu; it had some ki mixed in as well. She poured all her energy and then some into that shot. It would seem she didn't want to be overprotected." Happosai's face paled as he noticed something in her aura. "Damn, she was pregnant!"

Ranma looked at the Master. "What do you mean, 'was'?"

"Look for yourself Ranma, m'boy! The child's soul is coming out of her womb, its reiatsu and ki are both spent!"

Ranma paled as he realized what he was seeing. He was watching her unborn child die. The pigtailed Shinigami could already see the child's soul and its Chain of Fate coming out from the woman's womb.

Not knowing what he could do about it, he began preparations to perform Konsoh. "I wish it didn't have to be this way lady, but your kid is dying."

Ishida-san sighed, "I'm sorry, No-chan. I couldn't teach you enough control."

"Don't blame yourself Ishida. No-chan always had this problem, even before she met you." Happosai looked over at Ranma. "Ranma m'boy, I want to save that kid more than anything, but I'll need your help to do it."

"What do you mean?"

"I have a technique, known as the Soul Fusion. The child's reiatsu is far too low for it to survive. You, on the other hand, former Vice-Captain, have plenty of it. This technique will take your reiatsu and place it in the child, much in the same way as when you use a gigai."

"Huh? You mean I'll become the child?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes, but it is slightly different. Do you still want to do it?"

"Tell me what to do."

"Place your hands on her child's Chain of Fate." Ranma complied. "This may feel funny, but it's the only way. You will become her child, fused with this unnamed boy's soul."

Ranma nodded. "Perhaps... perhaps this is the way I can repent. Do it, Happosai-san."

The diminutive grandmaster smiled and then cried out, "SOUL FUSION!" Ranma's body transformed into light and both his light and the baby's soul were pulled into Nodoka's womb.

Happosai smiled, the child was saved. Perhaps he would make a good martial artist. The technique was draining, but it managed to save the child. He wouldn't remember his time before the birth, unfortunately, but maybe that would be for the best.

"Happi, I've been meaning to ask you, where are your students?"

"Oh, they are just doing some self-training for a while."

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"Saotome, we have to free ourselves of the master!"

"I know, Tendo, I know. And I have an idea on just how to do it!"

Soun and Genma were running from a horde of angry women as they spoke. Eventually they managed to ditch the women, but they had ended up on the opposite side of the town they needed to be on.

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Nodoka awoke in a familiar bed. It was hers. She must have been carried there by someone.

"No-chan, that Shinigami made a wonderful sacrifice for you today." Happosai could be seen at her bedside, looking drained. "He helped to save your child by becoming him. Please honor him and name your son after him."

"What do you mean 'becoming him'?"

"I used a technique that fused his soul with that of your child, placing him in your son's body."

"So my son isn't my son?"

"No. Ranma, assuming you name him that, will very much be your son. He won't remember being a Shinigami at all. He'll still have yours and Genma's traits; he'll just be also similar to the Shinigami."

Nodoka's face became muddled in contemplation. "He'll be my son?" Seeing the nod from Happosai, Nodoka stated seriously, "Then I should name my son after the Shinigami who sacrificed his memories and sense of self to become my son."

"I'm happy to hear that, No-chan. Now I've been meaning to ask you, why did you use your spirit bow if you knew you were pregnant? Surely you knew the effects it would have on your child."

"I... I'm not sure, Happosai-sensei. All I can remember is looking up and seeing the Hollow appearing behind you three and then waking up here."

"I see. This may also explain why those Hollows were after you as well. You were in no way masking your reiatsu. Your pregnancy must have been screwing with your subconscious control."

Nodoka gasped as it began to make sense. "But what about now?"

"I put a dampener on your reiatsu that'll last for a while. You and your child will be safe from Hollows as long as that dampener is active."

"Thank you Happosai-sensei." Nodoka's face turned curious. "Happosai-sensei, where did Ishida-sensei go off to?"

"He said something about having to help Ryuken with his wife, and then he left."

"What about Genma, where is he?"

"I have him and Soun working on some _extra study_ elsewhere. They said to me earlier that they'd take me out for sake tonight." Happosai smiled, there were three things he loved in the world, the Art, his silky darlings (and the pretty women that wore them), and sake.

"Oh. Tell him when you see him that I want to speak to him."

"Alright, No-chan, I will."

"Thank you, Grandmaster."

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That night Happosai was sealed up in his cave, and a little under nine months later, Saotome Ranma was born. How will this little child, carrier of Quincy blood and a Shinigami soul, affect the world? Only time will tell.

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(End Prologue)

Author's Notes: Well that's the end of the prologue for my Ranma/Bleach crossover. Hopefully it turned out well enough. The Japanese in the story will be limited to certain words that I feel sound better if they are not translated. It'll also include anything that has multiple meanings that I have seen in the subtitling and translation of either series. To anyone who complains that I powered down Ranma, a vice-captain, too much, well, I'm sorry, but that's the way it is. He was limited and his subconscious was holding him back some more. He should have been able to take all six of those Hollows himself but ended up needing help. Oh well, but don't think that this is the end. Just only the beginning.


	2. Chapter 1: Retrospective

Reaping the Souls of the Cursed

By Ellf

Chapter One: Retrospective

Disclaimer: Insert standard disclaimer here: Slot A goes into peg B, and all that jazz.

She ran. That thing was following her, and she didn't know the reason. What the hell was it? She needed to get to the seer. She knew that he/she could help her. Damn, how was it following her? Wouldn't someone help her out? She couldn't let it eat her. The seer was likely at the school at this time, and all she had to do was turn down this street and then he/she would be able to stop this monster. He had helped her before, when her grave was disturbed. There! There he was, in his glory, the seer!

Ranma knew something was off that day. For one thing, the fiancées seemed to be avoiding him, and no matter what he had said since that day Akane seemed to refuse to get mad. Ranma shuddered. His mind lost focus for a sheer second as he felt something before returning to the subject of Akane. Of course, their discussion after the wedding blew up could have something to do with her behavior, and the fact that it was the Monday after the foolish thing could be why the fiancées were behaving the way they were as well.

Something was off though. What could it have been? Ranma mused on the fence as Akane walked next to him on their way to school.

"Hey Akane, I'm going to run ahead to see if Kuno is planning anything stupid today." Without even waiting for Akane's acknowledgement, Ranma dashed off. As he approached the school, something tugged on the edge of his senses. What was it? Looking to his left, he could see the shape of a little girl he had helped the week before Kiima had shown up. This girl appeared to be about ten years old at most, and she had a chain sticking out of her chest. The chain had a few links left on it, but it signified one thing to Ranma, she was indeed a ghost.

He didn't know why, but ever since he learned the Mokou Takabisha he'd been able to see ghosts clearly. And he didn't mean the ghosts that wanted to be seen, but rather he was able to see the ghosts that weren't usually able to be seen. It was like a second sight, but not quite.

"Ranma-niisan, I need your help!" Oh, that was right, she had taken to calling him big brother.

"What's wrong, kid?" Ranma never asked her about her name, he felt he didn't need to know it. Hopefully she'd move on to heaven soon.

"It's horrible, this big monster is chasing me and-" Her quick speech was cut off by what sounded like a terrible roar that reverberated throughout the area near the school. Ranma glanced ahead towards the school and saw that Kuno and the rest of the Kendo club seemed to be waiting for something on the front lawn, but for some reason they turned tail and ran as the roar resounded through the area. Whatever it was, it didn't sound like Taro, nor did it sound like the Orochi.

Then he turned to see the source of the roar, and paled in shock. Whatever this thing was, it was nothing like he had ever seen before. It was a big misshapen humanoid creature that was wearing a pure white mask. The hole in its chest was where its heart should have been, but he could see right through it. Somehow he felt like he had fought a creature like this before, but he couldn't remember where or when. Regardless, as his father said, it was a martial artist's duty to exterminate monsters, and to protect the weak. Sure, his father only did the former for a quick buck, but that was one of the old man's lessons that held some merit. The weak this time happened to be this little ghost girl. Even if he was the only one who could see the girl, it just meant he was the only one that could protect her.

Ranma smirked. "It'll be alright, kid. Run off somewhere safe, I'm takin' this thing down!"

The creature glanced down at Ranma. "Pitiful Human, you have so little spirit energy that you'll barely do for a snack."

"I think you'll find that I have more than enough to deal with you, bakemono!" Ranma stood relaxed, with his hands in his pockets, planning on letting his opponent take the first move.

"Your overconfidence will be your death, boy! Take this!" The creature swung its arm at Ranma, who suddenly was hard pressed to dodge. It kept swinging, faster and faster, until finally it struck Ranma, sending him into the school's outer wall, causing it to crumble around his body. "How do you like that, boy?"

As Ranma pulled his mostly unharmed body out of the wall, he smirked. "You hit like a girl. Now it's my turn!" The pigtailed martial artist quickly jumped at the creature, launching an Amaguriken speed barrage of punches at its abdomen.

"Your punches have no spiritual force behind them, boy. You'll have to do better than that to kill me! Now I come!" The creature and Ranma soon became engaged in an exchange of blows and blocks. Ranma's skill was obviously far above that of the creature, as for every blow that he blocked, Ranma managed to get two to three punches or kicks in on the creature.

Ranma fell back panting... what was this creature? It took nearly all of his energy just to stand and yet the creature itself seemed perfectly fine. Not only that, but Ranma's arms and legs nearly froze as they touched the creature's body. It felt like touching death itself. This was it, his entire chance now rode on a single strike, but he didn't want to touch it again. A smirk found its way onto Ranma's face. He'd beat it, after all, he was Ranma Saotome, and he did _not LOSE!_ Ranma let all his confidence surge to the forefront. "You want spiritual force, monster? I'll give it to you in spades! **MOKOU TAKABISHA!**"

"What's this? Kidou?" A golden ball of energy sped towards the mask of the creature, causing a loud reverberating explosion upon impact. Smoke and dust hid the monster's body from view.

"Hmm... it's never done that before. Usually it's just a punching force." The dust began to clear. "No... that's impossible... I put everything I had into that attack." Ranma's voice wavered with a bit of fear.

The creature, unharmed, leaped at Ranma and with one mighty blow to Ranma's chest, sending him into the wall once more, the creature began to speak with its deep, echoing voice, taunting him. "Impressive though that was... It still lacked pressure. With pitiful reiatsu such as yours, I'm surprised you can see me at all. No matter, it's time to end this battle, and I will snack upon your soul."

The creature pulled back its fist, preparing for a punch at the tired, panting Ranma. Ranma instinctively raised his arms as if to block, but his arms were placed wrong for blocking a fist with just arms, but rather as if he were holding a katana. It threw its jab, aiming for the obvious opening between Ranma's arms...

"Hey look at Saotome; he's out on the yard doing some strange kata, not even fighting Kuno."

"I don't know, it looks more like he's fighting something to me."

"He IS fighting something, but I can barely make it out."

"Quit making stuff up."

"Look! Saotome collapsed!"

Indeed, Ranma's body had fallen to the ground as the random student had mentioned, his body bouncing off the ground like a lifeless doll. However that was only half the picture. As the creature had swatted at that open space between Ranma's arms, it was stopped with a resounding clang of reverberating metal. The pigtailed martial artist's physical body indeed fell to the ground, but Ranma's self still stood there in front of the creature, holding a katana in place to block its punch.

Taking a look down at himself, he found he was dressed in a black hakama, tabi covering his feet, and he was wearing straw sandals. Attached to his side was the sheath to the katana, and what's more? He could breath proper again, fully revitalized. Ranma was unsure of why his clothes changed, but he wasn't going to waste this second wind. Preparing to attack the creature again, he glanced up at the monster, a look of cold calculation coming over his eyes and a smirk finding its way to his face.

"A Shinigami? How? No matter! Your pitiful existence will end soon Shinigami or no!" The creature pushed harder on Ranma's katana with his fist, causing dust to come out from beneath his feet as the pigtailed boy slowly was pushed back.

"Really now, try this on for size!" Ranma wasn't one to usually use weapons, but when given something that made it so he didn't have to touch the creature; he was quite prepared to use it. Jumping back, he disengaged from the creature's fist only to bound forward and strike its mask with a cross-slash, grazing it.

Another horrifying roar resounded through the area as the creature swung at the pigtailed boy again with its meaty fist, only to miss once more and get slashed across the arm. It moved forward with its mask, hopeful to take a bite out of Ranma before he could cut again. Ranma dodged gracefully and horizontally slashed through the mask, all the way through. The creature roared once more in pain, and its mask shattered. It began to dissipate into nothing but particles and Ranma sheathed his sword.

"Well, that was interesting..." The pigtailed boy heard the school bell ring and then shouted, "Oh crap! Hinako-sensei's going to drain me again." Ranma then ran inside, leaving his unoccupied body on the school lawn.

Ranma entered the classroom just as Hinako-sensei began to call roll. He took his seat and waited for his name to be called.

"Saotome Ranma?"

Ranma raised his hand and said strongly, "Hai!"

"Saotome Ranma? Is that boy going to be late again?" Hinako's childish face contorted in confusion.

"I'm right here, Sensei." Ranma spoke to Hinako, waving his hand in front of her face, hoping to catch her attention. Unfortunately, it was to no avail, the small woman acted as if she was looking right through him.

"That delinquent! I'll drain him as soon as he gets in!"

"Anou... Sensei?" A quiet girl spoke up as she was looking out the window. "Isn't that him out there on the lawn?"

Ranma looked dubiously at the girl before exclaiming loudly, "I'm right here!"

"_They won't hear you, you know."_ A voice resounded through Ranma's skull. It was calm, feminine, familiar, and held a lilt to it that was almost humorous. "_They can't even see you right now. Not even your precious Akane-sama can see you, Ranma-kun._"

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Ranma started looking around the classroom, trying to find who was addressing him.

A light giggle echoed through Ranma's head. "_Ranma-kun, I'm hurt. You don't know me? How can you not know who I am? I am a part of you, after all."_

A cold chill went down Ranma's spine, the voice couldn't be... "_How dare you insult me by calling me a curse, Ranma-kun? Just for that, I won't tell you my name until you remember it yourself!"_ The voice sounded miffed, but then it turned playful again. "_You better get back in your body before they declare you clinically dead._"

Ranma looked over at where the class itself had gathered. They were pointing out the window at something on the lawn. He looked in the direction that the pointing was in, and saw it. "Holy shit! That's my body!"

"_Tsk, tsk, Ranma-kun. Get in it before they come and get you._" Ranma heeded the voice this time and leapt from the window to find he was much lighter than before. After all, a spirit has very little mass, and as such is less affected by gravity. Normally he would have had to jump to the ground and then run to his body, but instead he managed to land directly next to it.

Glancing down at it, a few questions rose to his mind. Was he really dead? Who was that voice? How the hell did Ryoga show up wearing that pink tutu last week? More importantly, how was he supposed to get back into his body, as the voice told him?

Never one to do anything halfway, Ranma jumped onto where his body lay and was quickly sucked into it. Blinking a couple of times, he stood up, glancing around at the students who had gathered, ready to take him to the nurse's office.

Scratching the back of his head at the base of his pigtail, Ranma chuckled nervously before posing incredulously and stating with false bravado. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Don'tcha worry 'bout me. After all, I'm the best, ain't I?"

Akane looked on with not just a little anger, but a bit of worry as well. "Ranma! Don't make like it was nothing, you were unconscious out there, you jerk!"

"I said I'm fine, Tomboy. Nothing to worry about." _"Insensitive little Ranma-kun. Insulting your Akane-sama like that." _Great. The voice was back, he'd think it would be gone after that little hallucination.

"_Nope. I'm here to stay. You can't get rid of me that easily." _For some reason Ranma had the image of a super-deformed Ranma-chan giving him the red-eye and sticking her tongue out at him in his mind.

"..listening to me? Honestly, I don't know why I try."

"I'm sure Ranchan's alright, Sugar. He looks like he's deep in thought though."

"He's deep in something."

A cold wind blew as Happosai made his daily rounds, causing him to pause just long enough for the group of angry women he was being chased by to catch up with him. As the women began to stomp on him and steal his liberated silky darlings away from the old ecchi, Happosai glanced in the direction of Furinkan High School.

_It seems like a Hollow's presence was just purified._ Happosai grinned as the women took his beauteous silky pleasures away from him. Hopping up from the ground, he bounded across the rooftops towards the Tendo Dojo. "I best get prepared... Nodoka's going to need help training that boy."

(End Chapter)Author's Notes: Well... there you have it, Chapter 1 of Reaping the Souls of the Cursed. Yet another chapter that has been sitting on the backburner mostly complete for a while. Hopefully I'll be able to release the second chapter soon.


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